Frederick peaece



(No Model.)

F; PEARCE & J. JONES.

TRANSMITTING SIGNAL INSTRUMENT; No. 358,694. Patented Mar. 1, 1887.

TATES NlTE FREDERICK PEARCE, OF NE? YORK, AND JAMES JONES, OF BROOKLYN, N. Y.

TRANSMITTING SIGNALHNSTRUMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 858,694, dated March 1, 1887.

Application filed December 13, 1886. Serial No. 221,410. (No model.)

To (ZZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, FREDERICK PEARCE, of the city, county, and State of New York, and JAMES J ONES, of Brooklyn, Kings, and State ofNew York, have invented an Improvement in Transmitting Signal-Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

Electric signalinginstruments have hereto fore been made for sending numberssuch, for instance, as messenger-calls and fire-alarm signals. In theseinstruments a circuit-closing wheel has been revolved by a spring and train of gearing, the speed of revolution being controlled by a vibrator or escapement. It has been necessary to revolve the circuit-closing wheel sufficiently slowly to give distinct pulsations upon the distant relays, gongs, oralarmbells when high numbers are transmitted; but when low numbers are transmitted,requiring but few pulsations, considerable time is lost in revolving the circuit-closing wheel during that portion of the movement when no signals are given.

Our present invention relates to means for giving to the revolving circuit-wheel two different speeds of rotation-the one a comparatively slow speed, that is in action when the electric pulsations are being transmitted, and the other a more rapid speed during'the time that a blank portion of the circuit-wheel is adjacent to the; transmitting circuit spring or arm.

WVe remark that our improvements are especially available with fire-telegraph instruments, and where numbers are sent out from a central station or from street-boxes, and in which it is usual to repeat the number several times-that is to say, the circuit-wheel at the transmitting station makes several revolutions-;and heretofore it has occupied as long a time, or nearly so, to transmit a low numbersuch as 3- as it does to transmit a high number-such as 999; but by our improvement the interval of time between one signal and the next is rendered uniform, or nearly so, regardless of whether a high oralow number is sent,tl1ereby rendering the signals more distinct and lessen ing the risk of mistakes in distinguishing the signals.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation representing our improvements and a portion of the train of gearing that operates upon the show face and edge views of separate circuitwheels adapted to the transmission of differcounty of ent numbers.

The frame A is of suitable size and shape, made in two parts, connected by pillars A. B is the lever-handle by which the axis 2 is turned and the spring 3 partially wound up, and there is a ratchet-wheel, 4, and a pawl, 5, that connects the axis 2 to the gear-wheel O, and there are one or more intermediate wheels and pinions that communicate motion to the arbor 6 of the circuit-wheel D. Usually there is a wheel having a stop-pin, 7, which is engaged by the hook 8, extending out from the axis 2, and the amount of motion given to the lever-handle B and hook 8 is such that the arbor 6 will revolve the desired number of times before the pin 7 is stopped by the hook 8. The lever-handle may be moved a greater or less distance and stopped by a pin, 19, in one of the holes 20, so that the circuit-wheel may be given a greater or less number of revolutions, according to the number of ratch et-teeth taken up by the pawl, the gearing being such that the circuit-wheel will be revolved once for each tooth taken up by the pawl.

There is a pinion upon the arbor 9, that engages the wheel E upon the arbor 6, and an escapement-wheel, F, and pulsator 10, acted upon by the teeth of F, so that when the spring is wound and the rotation is only controlled by the pulsator 10 the arbor 6 will be revolved with sufficient rapidity during the interval between one set of signals and the next,

There is a secondary frame, G, the two parts of which are tied togetherby a pillar, 12, that forms an aXis, upon which the frame can be swung, and there is a shaft, 14, carried by this frame G, and a pinion, 15, that gears with the wheel E when the frame G is swung in one direction, and which pinion separates from the wheel E when he frame G is swung in the other directio Upon the shaft 14 is a wheel, 16, the teeth of which actuate the vibrator or fly 17, which is made with wings 18, or otherwise constructed, so that the rotation of the shafts 14c and 6 will be sufficiently. slow for turning the circuit-wheel when the pulsations are being sent over the lines by such circuit-wheel.

If the circuit-wheel is a fixture, it may be same. Fig. 2 is an elevation edgewise of the fastened directly upon the shaft 6; but usually circuitwheel and gearing, and Figs. 3 and 4 the holder 22 will be employed, the same being in the form of a disk with a stud, 23, at one side parallel to the shaft 6, and having a spring-latch, 24; and the circuit-wheels are each adapted to slip upon the end of the shaft 6 and notched for the stud 23, and the latch 24 springs out and holds the circuit-wheel when the latter is properly placed, and it allows for the removal of one circuit-wheel and the substitution of an other circuit-wheel when desired.

Upon the axis 12 of the auxiliary frame G is an arm, G, with two studs or projections, 30 and 31, and these are acted upon during the revolutionof the circuit-wheel, so that when the circuit-wheel is to go fast the auxiliary frame is moved to separate the pinion 15 from the wheel E and allow the gearing only to be controlled by the pulsator 10,- but when the circuit-wheel is to move comparatively slowly in sending signals the arm G and frame G are swung the other way, to bring the pinion 15 into gear with the wheel E and actuate the fly or pulsator 17, and thereby reduce the speed of rotation to the desired amount.

We prefer to use the stud 32 on theholder 22 to cause the frame G to swing and connect 15 with E just before the circuit-wheel reaches the zero or stopping point, so that it will be moving slowly when the signals are made, and then to use a second stud or projection, 33, that is upon the circuit-wheel D, and acts to swing the arm G, frame G, and disconnect 15 from E, to allow of a rapid rotation of the wheel after the set of signals have been made. This projection will be differently placed in the different wheels, according to the signals to be sent. WVhere but few signals are to be sent this pin 33 will be located,asillustrated in Fig. 4, so that it comes into contact with the pin when the circuit-wheel D has revolved buta short distance in giving the signals; but where the signals are numerous, as indicated in Fig. 3, the pin 33 is located so as not to come in contact with the pin 30 until the circuitwheel D has nearly completed its rotation. By these means we are able to turn the circuitwheel quickly during the part of the rotation in which no signal is sent and avoid loss of time in the proper repetition of the signals.

We prefer to make use of the end of the arm G and an arm, 41, upon an axis, 42, with a spring to press the end of the arm or a roller thereon against the end 40, so as to hold the arm and frame in the position to which it may have been moved by the action of the studs, as aforesaid.

The circuit-closing devices are to be of any desired character; but where several circuits are operated by one wheel it is preferable to employ a rock-shaft, 45, upon which is the arm 46, having an inclined tooth at the end that rests upon the circuit wheel,- and a spring, 47, draws the tooth into each notch of the circuitwheel as it passes beneath the tooth, and thereby the shaft is rocked.

Upon this shaft is a block of insulating material, 48, to which are attached arms 49 and springs 50, the ends of which come into contact'with the circuit-closing studs 51, or are separated therefrom, so as to make and break the circuit, the wires from which are connected to the springs 50 and studs 51, respectively.

It will be evident that a weight may be substituted for the actuating-spring 3. It will be apparent that any suitable device for opening or closing the electric circuit can be operated by the circuit-wheel, and that the regulator for the speed of revolution may be duplicated and brought into or outof action, as aforesaid, to give a third speed, if required.

We claim as our invention 1. The combination, with a wheel and circuit opening or closing devices and mechanism f'or revolving the wheel, of two regulating devices for controlling the speed of revolution of the circuit-wheel and means for antomatically disconnecting one of said regulating devices from the revolving mechanism during that portion of the rotation of the circuit-wheel in which signals are not given, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a circuit-wheel and means for rotating the same, of the vibrator or regulator 10 and a secondary vibrator or regulator, 17, gearing-for moving the same, a frame carrying the gearing, and projections acted upon by the rotation of the circuit-wheel to connect the gearing carried by the-secondary frame to the main gearing or to disconnect the same therefrom, substantially as set forth. 3. The combination, with the circuit-wheel and gearing for revolving the same, of the frame G, the axis 12 for the same, the pinion 15 and wheel 16, pulsator 17 and fly 18 the arm G upon the axis 12, the pins 30 and 31, carried by the said arm, and the pins or studs 32 33, rotating with the circuit-wheel, and acting to move the arm and frame first in one direction and then the other, for the purposes and substantially as specified.

4. The combination, with the circuit-wheel D, of the arbor 6, mechanism for rotating the arbor, the holder 22 upon the arbor, the pro jecting stud 23, for passi ng'into a notchin the circuit-wheel, and the latch 24, for holding such circuit-wheel, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with a circuit-wheel and means for revolving the same at two rates of speed, of a stud projecting from the circuit-wheel and acting to shift the mechanism and change the speed, and a second stud or projection for bringing into action the second speed of revolution, substantially as set forth.

Signed by us this 8th day of December, A. D. 1886.

FREDK. PEARCE. JAMES JONES. Witnesses:

Gno. T. PINoKNEY, WILLIAM G. Morr. 

